TL;DR
- Post-Brexit border checks under the EU’s new entry-exit system, the EES, have nearly tripled passport-control times for Brits at some airports, even after recent improvements.
- At Rome’s Fiumicino, the wait for Brits has gone from 7 minutes to 20, according to chief aviation officer Ivan Bassato.
- Wizz Air UK now advises UK passengers to arrive three hours before the flight home, up from two, plus a portable charger and water for the queue.
- EES asks UK nationals for a fingerprint and photo on entry to the Schengen area, and the EU-wide rollout finished at the end of April 2026.
- Biometric e-gate kiosks have helped, though some airports still see waits of an hour or two at peak.
- France reports no major congestion at its hubs, with 110 million-plus entries and exits recorded since October 2025.
What’s Changed
Right, one to have in your back pocket for anyone flying to Europe this summer. Post-Brexit border checks under the EU’s new entry-exit system, the EES, have nearly tripled the time it takes Brits to get through passport control at some airports, even after recent improvements. For your clients, that means the queue home could be longer than the one they remember from last year.
The clearest example comes from Rome. Ivan Bassato, chief aviation officer at Fiumicino airport, told the BBC the time for Brits to clear the border has risen from 7 minutes to 20. In his words, “We are not at the point where you have the same quality of the process as before the EES,” and he added that “we need to fix urgently certain aspects of the system.”
A Closer Look
So what is the EES, and why the extra minutes? The entry-exit system asks non-EU travellers, UK nationals included, to register a fingerprint and a photograph when they enter the Schengen area. It replaces the old passport stamp with a digital record, and the phased rollout across the EU finished at the end of April 2026. First time through, that biometric step takes a little longer, which is where the queues have grown.
There is progress worth noting. Self-service biometric kiosks with e-gates have, in Bassato’s words, “improved things significantly.” Even so, Fiumicino says it is not yet okay with the one or two hour waits still cropping up at some points. Good news? The picture is improving, and the worst of the teething troubles should ease as the kiosks bed in.
For Client Chats
Here’s the genuinely useful part for you. Wizz Air UK is now telling UK passengers to arrive at European airports three hours before their flight home departs, up from the usual two. Managing director Yvonne Moynihan first gave that steer back in May, ahead of the summer season, and also suggested packing a portable charger and a bottle of water for any queue. A quick heads-up on all three, before your clients travel, saves a panicked message from the airport later.
It’s not the same picture everywhere, either. France’s Interior Ministry told The Independent the EES has already proven its worth since launching on 12 October 2025, with more than 110 million entries and exits recorded, over 44,000 entry refusals, and more than 1,100 people flagged as possible security threats. France says it has not seen any major congestion at its transport hubs.
The Helpful Bit
I know this one reads as a job for your inbox rather than a headline to enjoy… but it’s the sort of small, practical note clients remember you for. A short message before they fly, arrive three hours early for the trip home, expect a fingerprint and photo, pack a charger, turns a longer queue into something they were ready for. Worth keeping an eye on as the summer peak builds.
